AMADEUS (_walks back and forth; takes a few deep breaths, as if relieved; goes out into the garden; returns; sits down at the piano and plays a few improvisations; gets up and goes to the writing desk, where he begins to look for something among the papers_) Where's that Solo? ... She's going to sing it, and I shall be present...! (_He seats himself at the piano again, apparently in a very happy mood_) Cecilia!... Cecilia! CECILIA (_enters_) AMADEUS (_rising_) Ah, there you are at last, Cecilia! CECELIA (_very calmly_) Good-morning, Amadeus. AMADEUS A little late. CECILIA (_smiling_) Yes. (_She takes off her hat and goes to the mirror to arrange her hair_) AMADEUS What made you get out so early? CECILIA Various things I had to attend to. AMADEUS And may one ask...? CECILIA One may.--Look here, what I have got for you. (_She takes a letter from a small bag_) AMADEUS What's that? (_He takes it_) What...? My letter to Philine...! Did you go to her, Cecilia? CECILIA Well, I felt a little nervous about it. Now I think it was rather silly of me. AMADEUS And how...? CECILIA Oh, the simplest thing in the world! I asked her for it, and she gave it to me. It was lying in an open drawer in her writing desk--with others. I think you can call yourself lucky. AMADEUS Cecilia! (_He tears the letter to pieces and throws these into the fireplace_) CECILIA Well, you would never have made up your mind to demand it of her, and that would have kept me in a state of irritation. I can't have anything like that on my mind when I want to work.--And now that's settled. (_She turns away_) Then I went to the opera, too. I have had a talk with the Director. He's going to indorse my request to be set free. AMADEUS Your request to be set free...? CECILIA Yes, I shall go to Berlin on the first of January. AMADEUS But, Cecilia, we haven't talked it over yet.... CECILIA What's the use of postponing a thing that's already settled in my own mind?--You know I never like to do that. AMADEUS But it means a whole year of separation! CECILIA To start with. But I think it might be just as well to prepare ourselves for a still longer period. AMADEUS Do you mean to leave me, Cecilia?! CECILIA What else can I do, Amadeus? That ought to be as clear to you as it is to me. AMADEUS So it would have been a little while ago, Cecilia. But I have come to see our future in a different light.... Cecilia ... Sigismund has been here! CECILIA Sigismund?!... You have talked with him?... What did he want? AMADEUS What did he want...? Your hand. CECILIA And you refused...? AMADEUS He is sending you his farewell greetings through me, Cecilia. CECILIA So that's what has put you in such a good humor all at once! (_Pause_) And if he hadn't come here? AMADEUS If he hadn't come here.... CECILIA Speak out, please! AMADEUS (_remains silent_) CECILIA You didn't mean to ... to fight him? AMADEUS I did. Albert was on his way to him at the time.